Kathmandu, Mar.22: At a time when Nepal has not been able to utilise the 6000 one way airseats per week to India, the government should allow willing and capable private operators to fly to Indian cities, Nepal Association of Travel Agents (NATA) stated here today.
Under the present arrangement, according to NATA’s press statement distributed here today, of the total 6000 airseats, 610,600 and 880 seats have been allocated to Necon Air, Alpine Air and Nepal International Airways respectively. The rest has been kept for Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation.
Interestingly, Alpine Air and Nepal International Airways, that were given the Aircraft Operating Certificates long back, have not even begun operation yet.
Poorly equipped with inadequate fleet, RNAC is hardly utilizing 3000 seats per week. “In such a scenario, companies like Buddha Air and Necon Air are already willing to operate to Indian cities. All they are waiting for is the official approval,” said Bhola Bikram Thapa, President of NATA, during a press meet here today.
NATA’s lobbying for private operators to be allowed to fly to the Indian cities comes at a time when Indian Airlines, that used to fly in around 30 per cent of the inbound tourists by air, continues to suspend its incoming flights.
The Indian national flag carrier suspended its Kathmandu-bound flights since December 24 last year when one of its Airbus was hijacked in Indian aerospace around half an hour after it took off from Tribhuvan International Airport.
“We would like to see our operators and RNAC strengthened to meet the demand rather than stressing on the resumption of the Indian Airlines flights,” Thapa added.
Birendra Basnet, Managing Director of Buddha Air, said that he was ready to operate to Indian cities like Varanasi if the government allowed him to. “Our aircraft has already been approved by the Indian Civil Aviation authority to fly in the Indian aerospace.”
Private sector has been eyeing Varanasi as a lucrative and viable Indian destination since it was the Indian city only Indian Airlines flew to from here.
Apart from voicing the need to allow private operators to fly to Indian cities, NATA also stressed that RNAC should be allowed to function as an autonomous body. “Since we have learnt lessons from cases like pulling out of incoming Lufthansa flight in the past, it’s high time we revamped our national flag carrier,” Thapa said.
Presently, besides RNAC, that flies to three Indian cities — New Delhi, Bombay and Calcutta — Necon Air flies to Patna.
Nepal and India reviewed the Air Service Agreement in 1997 increasing the per week one way airseats to 6000 from 4000. The new ASA has also allowed multiple Nepalese companies to operate to Indian cities. Before 1997, only RNAC was allowed to fly to India.
Around 30 private operators have received the Aircraft Operating Certificates while a little above one dozen companies are operating now.